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About this project

Vampire the Masquerade

Twenty-one years ago, Vampire: the Masquerade hit the tabletop RPG
market like a black-clad bolt from Hell itself and changed the way games were
played forever. It wasn't just about playing a game; VtM changed
people's lives and defined a lifestyle. Last year, White Wolf created a
deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition to celebrate all that Vampire: the
Masquerade has meant to its creators and its fans and the response was
astounding. It was clear to us that the players want more classic VtM,
so we began work on the V20 Companion.

The V20 Companion

Developed and written by legendary VtM designer Justin Achilli,
in constant communication with players using the same Open Development
process we used with V20, this volume of new material examines
additional topics such as Titles within vampiric society, the effect of
technology on modern Kindred, terrifying locations around the world, and the
clanless Caitiff. We'd already planned that the V20 Companion would be
sold in PDF and Print on Demand formats, but then we began to hear that folks
wanted the book in a deluxe format to match V20: embossed black leather
cover, silver gilt-edged pages, a red silk bookmark, and of course, beautiful
full-color interior pages. After talking it over, Justin and I realized that Kickstarter
was the perfect way to make that deluxe dream a reality.

Why Kickstarter?

We like that Kickstarter will enable our fans — and anyone who loves
beautiful books and vampires — to be part of the creation of the V20
Companion. We're pursuing the same philosophy started with the Open
Development process of creating the book in concert with the players'
feedback. Additionally, we really like that the tiers of contributions and
rewards let fans be as involved as they want with the making of this deluxe
book.

So How Does This Work?

It's pretty easy. Contribute any amount you want, bearing in mind the levels
of contribution and their commensurate rewards over there on the right. If we
hit our $50K goal, you'll get the reward that goes with your level of
contribution. PDFs and Print on Demand versions will be made available first in
the form of a coupon from our online sales partner, DriveThruRPG. The Deluxe
V20 Companion will take several months from the closing date to print and
ship. Part of the reason we chose to use Kickstarter is the chance to
use a different front-end and then different shippers than we have used in the
past, so we'll have a firmer idea of when the Deluxe version will be in your
hands closer to print time. We will contact contributors in the upper tiers
with details on their rewards.

If we have contributions beyond our target number, we've planned an added reward for contributors:

At $100,000 of contributions, Justin and I will create an annotated
multi-media version PDF of the V20 Companion filled with soundbites,
video, and extra layers of text and sketches that detail the making of the book
and the choices we made along the way. (Expect a fair bit of sarcastic banter
and tomfoolery since we didn't always agree on direction.) We might also be
able to wrangle a guest appearance by our other V20 developer and
all-around good guy and LARPer Eddy Webb, with his own insights into
making books with such a devoted fan base.

Whatever the outcome, we're using this Kickstarter project to gauge the
players' interest in future Vampire and World of Darkness titles. Using
Kickstarter, we're able to produce books more quickly and deliver them directly
to the players, skipping the distribution system entirely. Simply put, if this
experiment works, we can make it a business model, and bring you more
supplementary World of Darkness material faster, and incorporate your feedback
at every step of the way.

FAQ

Once the project deadline on Friday, March 16 is reached, we will send out a survey to all backers which will include space for your name as you want it to appear on the credits page (or your character's name if you choose to immortalize them forever instead).

A copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, a free PDF of the book (upgraded to an Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), and the PoD signed by Justin. Your name (or your character's) will appear on the credits page as an Elder. Please excuse the poor wording as we added tiers of pledge rewards after it was written and once a tier has been pledged, it can't be edited.

No, if you pledged at the $200, you can be a model for a character tier, you'd get that and all the rewards at the $100 Elder level. If you pledged at the $500, you get to talk to Justin tier, you get the model for a character reward and the $100 Elder reward. Sorry for the confusion, the wording was written before we added the new reward tiers and is imprecise now.

$100 pledge: You'll receive a copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, plus a free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), but also a free PoD version signed by Justin Achilli, your name (or your character's) listed on the credits page as Elder.

$200 pledge: You'll receive a copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, plus a free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), but also a free PoD version signed by Justin Achilli, your name (or your character's) listed on the credits page as Elder. You will also be used as a model for characters in Children of the Revolution or Hunters Hunted 2 (you must provide photographic reference for the artists).

$500 pledge: You'll receive a copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, plus a free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), but also a free PoD version signed by Justin Achilli. You will also be used as a model for characters in Children of the Revolution or Hunters Hunted 2 (you must provide photographic reference for the artists). Plus you gain the questionable reward of a half-hour phone interview with Justin Achilli, and you are listed in the “Special Thanks” section (your nickname will likely be based on your conversation with Justin...).

Rewards

Pledge $5 or more

You or your character's name is listed on the credit's page as one of our supporters: the army of the night.

Estimated delivery:Mar 2012

You selected

Pledge $25 or more

31 backers

Free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked) and your name (or your character's) on the credits page as Neonate.

Estimated delivery:Mar 2012

You selected

Pledge $50 or more

443 backers

For folks in USA/Canada only: You'll receive a copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, plus a free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), your name (or your character's) listed on the credits page as Ancilla.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $70 or more

289 backers

For anyone not in USA/Canada, this covers shipping costs: You'll receive a copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion, plus a free copy of the PDF (upgraded to Annotated PDF if that milestone is unlocked), your name (or your character's) listed on the credits page as Ancilla.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $100 or more

188 backers

All of the above, but also a free PoD version signed by Justin Achilli, your name (or your character's) listed on the credits page as Elder.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $100 or more

20 backers

For the Blood Bonded: you will receive 2 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion and 2 free PDF versions of the Book. For folks in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $135 or more

35 backers

For the Blood Bonded: you will receive 2 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion and 2 free PDF versions of the Book. For anyone not in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $150 or more

7 backers
All gone!

You will receive a Deluxe V20 Companion and free PDF version, plus your name or your character's will be used within an Example of Play within the book.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $150 or more

27 backers

The Master Set: you will receive your copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion and free PDF version, plus the two volume, color PoD version of V20. For folks in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $185 or more

20 backers

The Master Set: you will receive your copy of the Deluxe V20 Companion and free PDF version, plus the two volume, color PoD version of V20. For anyone not in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $200 or more

12 backers
Limited (1 left of 13)

As above, plus you will be used as a model for characters in Children of the Revolution or Hunters Hunted 2 (you must provide photographic reference for the artists).

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $250 or more

0 backers

For Coteries: you will receive 5 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion and 5 free PDF versions of the Book. For folks in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $300 or more

12 backers

For Coteries: you will receive 5 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion and 5 free PDF versions of the Book. For anyone not in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $350 or more

9 backers
Limited (11 left of 20)

As the $100 Elder package plus you receive a character sheet customized for your character and including a portrait by Ken Meyer Jr of your character.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $450 or more

1 backer

For those with many dots in Contacts: you will receive 10 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion for the price of nine and 10 free PDF versions. For folks in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

4 backers
All gone!

As above, plus you gain the questionable reward of a half-hour phone interview with Justin Achilli, and you are listed in the “Special Thanks” section (your nickname will likely be based on your conversation with Justin...).

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

6 backers
Limited (7 left of 13)

As the $100 Elder package plus a full color bookplate signed by all the creators (Rich Thomas, Justin Achilli, all of the artists) will be inserted into your Deluxe V20 Companion copy.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $550 or more

4 backers

For those with many dots in Contacts: you will receive 10 copies of the Deluxe V20 Companion for the price of nine and 10 free PDF versions. For anyone not in the US/Canada.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $1,000 or more

1 backer
All gone!

As the $100 Elder package, plus you will be brought into the inner sanctum and participate in the creation of Hunters Hunted 2 as a Consulting Developer. You'll be included on every email exchange, Skype meeting, phone call, and exchange of threats and insults between Rich and Justin and the writers and artists from the beginning to the end of the book's creation.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

You selected

Pledge $3,000 or more

0 backers
Limited (1 left of 1)

As above, plus Justin Achilli will run a four hour session of Vampire over Skype for you and your coterie of players.

Estimated delivery:Apr 2012

Funding period

Feb 15, 2012 - Mar 16, 2012
(30 days)

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